Moscow: ‘Seoul-Washington nuke agreement could spark arms

As South Korea and the U.S. made a ‘Washington Declaration’ including the strengthening of U.S.’ nuclear deterrence (nuclear umbrella)’ for South Korea, Russia warned that it could spark an arms race.

“The U.S.–South Korea nuclear agreement further destabilizes regional and international order. Such an agreement could spark an arms race,” the Russian foreign ministry said in a statement issued on Friday. “We urge the U.S. and its allies, which are pursuing multiple military programs hampering the world’s strategic balance, to halt acts escalating tension and give up measures destabilizing global security.”

The South Korea-U.S. ‘nuclear agreement’ refers to the Washington Declaration that was adopted during the Seoul-Washington summit on Wednesday last week. The agreement calls for, among others, the establishment of a Nuclear Consultative Group (NCG) that guarantees the expansion of South Korea’s engagement in the process of the U.S.’ provision of nuclear umbrella in the event of a situation including Pyongyang’s nuclear threat.

Even before the Seoul-Washington summit, Moscow expressed objection to President Yoon Suk Yeol’s remarks suggesting Seoul’s intention to provide weapons to Ukraine. Moscow had said, “Provision of weapons constitutes an intervention in the war.” Seoul and Washington stopped short of clarifying Seoul’s provision of weapons right after their summit, but many pundits say the proposal is an ongoing issue.

Regarding this development, Ukraine’s ambassador to South Korea uploaded on Saturday a photo of apartment buildings destroyed by Russia’s missile strikes on Twitter. “This is the situation in Ukraine tonight,” the ambassador said. “This is a clear example of massive strikes on civilians.” He apparently revisited President Yoon’s statement that suggested South Korea’s possible provision of weapons to Ukraine conditional upon situations such as a massacre of civilians.


chaewani@donga.com